


come to this conclusion

by Grassy



Category: Code Geass
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Established Schneizel el Britannia/Kanon Maldini, F/M, Female Lelouch, Half-Sibling Incest, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Marriage of Convenience, Trope Bingo Round 11
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-10-01 17:20:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17248301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grassy/pseuds/Grassy
Summary: “Take me as your wife and I will ensure you the throne.”





	come to this conclusion

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Marriage
> 
> Canon-ish based AU, the particulars of which I haven't fully hashed out. Potentially a non-geass users AU. *shrugs* IDEK.
> 
> Title from Frank Sinatra's _Love And Marriage_.

“I have a proposition to make,” Lulu stated, going through the motions with her cup of tea despite her focus being entirely upon Schneizel. It was delicious, perfectly prepared and the petits fours would have been devoured without a care to manners under normal circumstances.

Such were not normal circumstances, by any means. She set the delicate teacup down, hiding the light shake of her hands within the folds of her skirt.

“A proposition? Of what sort are you referring to, Lulu?”

Schneizel’s face was as politely curious a mask as ever, the expression he showed the world outside of those he held close. But Lulu knew him well, was closer to this half-brother of hers than she was any of their other siblings. (Nunnally included; much as Lulu adored her younger sister, they were very different at heart; unlike herself and Schneizel.) To her eyes, Schneizel was intrigued and worried both, knowing Lulu well enough to realize how deeply it hurt her pride to ask him of all people for aid. Especially as they both knew he rarely refused her anything she came out and asked for. (Even if in her usual roundabout way, by making deals rather than remaining in an undefined debt that could be used against her.)

“One of marriage.” Lulu watched, carefully noting the slight widening of Schneizel’s eyes at her words. Were the situation not what it was, she would have enjoyed the rare moment of having genuinely startled the ever-composed man.

“Marriage,” Schneizel echoed. His own tea now abandoned, gloved hands folded together before him contemplatively.

“Yes, marriage. Between you and I, specifically. And in return…” Violet eyes closed upon a deep breath. After this, there would be no going back; her desperation bared completely before him. Lulu’s eyes snapped open, meeting Schneizel’s intent stare head-on.

“In return, I will devote all of my resources to seeing you crowned as the next Emperor…and remaining as such.”

  


Schneizel had long known Lulu was included within a small number of individuals who could manage to catch him off guard; that did not make it any less irritating upon the rare occasions such actually happened. But his pique was not nearly as important as the words he had never expected to spill from Lulu’s perfectly painted lips. (Such had been the first indicator that something was truly wrong. Outside of social events and the like which required certain standards, Lulu only wore enough makeup to emphasize her features in a natural-appearing manner. Anything more than the usual was layered in moods and motives both.)

“Crowned as…” He knew that she could see his confusion, but for once he did not care. It was not the time for their usual play of words and strategy; something had gone very wrong for Lulu to even jest about such matters. And there wasn't the slightest hint of humor to be found in his half-sister today.

(Lulu had been newly eight years of age when she had first declared her intent to take control of Britannia one day. Elbow-length hair wound and bound in ribbons and clad in her indigo party dress with its immaculate ivory pinafore, Lulu had leaned against him on a garden bench hidden by the surrounding maze of flora. With a petulant glare, she had laid out her plan to rid the world of birthday celebrations for those who clearly did not want them when she someday wrested control from their father’s annoyingly huge hands. Or Schneizel’s, if he managed to do it himself before she came of age.

As Lulu matured, so too did her reasons for wanting to become Empress and her arguments regarding her suitability to lead them in comparison to his own. It was one of the many reasons she was so dear to Schneizel; they were just different enough for their similarities to make such a competition both interesting and worthwhile.

So for her to go back on so many promises - to herself, to Schneizel - spoken and not alike was nothing less than disturbing.)

“Emperor, yes.”

“What has changed?” For all his knowledge, Schneizel knew not what had brought such a thing to her mind, let alone what-

Ah. Of course. _Marriage_.

“Or should I ask—who is it you would prefer to marry me in comparison to?”

Lulu’s lips twisted in a bitter smirk, obviously both happy that he’d worked that out for himself and distinctly unhappy that it was even a situation that had come to pass.

“Luciano Bradley.”

“…oh.” Yes, that did rather explain things. “Father’s doing, I would assume.”

“You assume correctly.”

It wasn’t the best of circumstances, but of all the women Schneizel had to choose from, Lulu was among the few he would not be against marrying. It was a much better match than he had expected to get; for all that it wasn’t particularly common, it wasn’t unheard of for half-siblings of their family to come to similar arrangements. But for all her practicality, Schneizel knew Lulu had always hoped to meet someone that would spark _something_ in her.

The way Kanon had sparked something in Schneizel.

“All right, then. I accept.”

At the easing of the tension in her face, Schneizel relaxed somewhat. Setting the terms of their arrangement would put them back into more familiar territory.

“You understand that, despite what tradition would say, so long as you are careful and we are both honest about things, then I have no issues with you taking other romantic or sexual partners.”

Lulu smiled, finally reaching for a petit four—red velvet, her favorite—and arching a dark brow in amusement.

“I know that you have Kanon, Schneizel. I have no intention of intruding upon such a thing—you know I’ve always been pleased for the happiness you have found—and I know he’ll abide by whatever you choose. So I truly never expected differently upon you deciding to accept my offer.”

“I suppose I should be pleased you decided to be up front, rather than to seduce me into going along with your plan.”

He couldn’t help but laugh as she rolled her eyes at him.

“I want a partner, Schneizel, not a puppet. If I did, I would have chosen Odysseus.”

Schneizel’s lips quirked in amusement. “True enough.”

“And why bother to put in so much effort when Guinevere would be working against me at every turn. I have no intention of being left powerless, but without the time we thought I still had… This is the better option.”

Capturing her free hand in his own, Schneizel lightly squeezed it to convey his support.

“Then for now, let us enjoy our teatime. After, we can go and discuss the more in-depth terms of our future prenuptial agreement.”

Lulu bit into another petit four with a pleased hum. And squeezed his hand back.


End file.
